What does Psalm 3:4 mean?

Psalm 3 was written by David while fleeing from his murderous son, Absalom. In fact, David narrowly escaped being overrun by an army of some 12,000 men (2 Samuel 17:1–3). Hushai's influence spared David from being overrun (2 Samuel 17:15–16). David has likely heard people tell him to abandon hope, but he insists on being faithful to God (Psalm 3:1–3). This is not, after all, the first time David has faced danger in his life.

As a testimonial to the Lord's faithfulness, David proclaims that from His holy hill, Mount Zion, the Lord answered his prayer for deliverance. Psalm 18:3–6 recalls an extremely dangerous time when the Lord delivered David. That was when Saul, the prior king, attempted to kill David. He writes: "I call upon the LORD…The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me…In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears."

God still delivers His people from threatening situations. In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul affirms that the Lord is at hand, and exhorts believers, "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:5–7). David's answered prayer can encourage every Christian to pray, instead of tremble, when adversity strikes.